Metropolitan Opera Stories of the Great Operas

Here at last is the definitive opera story collection, the only one now authorized by the Metropolitan Opera. Written by the associate editor of Opera News magazine, the volume includes the complete plots of 150 different operas, biographical information on all of the 72 composers represented, easy access to the stories through both a table of contents and an index, and a foreword by Peter Allen.

Even with the advent of surtitles and Met titles, intelligent operagoers have an idea of what's going to transpire on stage before they attend a performance. The Metropolitan Opera: Stories of the Great Operas, by veteran Opera News writer-critic-editor John W. Freeman, is a good way to pick up such knowledge. Freeman offers brief composer biographies (72 of them), relevant background, and the basics on who's who and what happens in each of 150 operas. His writing is unambiguous, succinct, and informative. The Metropolitan Opera will prove useful to both operatic newcomers and experienced opera attendees.